Astronauts suffer from poor dexterity of their hands due to the clumsy spacesuit gloves during Extravehicular Activity (EVA) operations and NASA has had a widely recognized but unmet need for novel human machine interface technologies to facilitate data entry, communications, and robots or intelligent systems control. The objective of this research project is to develop a speech human interface that can offer both crewmember usability and system operational efficiency. But loud noise and strong reverberation inside spacesuits make automatic speech recognition (ASR) for such an interface a very challenging problem. In Phase I, the feasibility of using WeVoice proprietary microphone array signal processing and robust ASR technologies was validated. In particular, it was found that novel multichannel noise reduction produces larger gain in SNR than conventional beamforming but the latter is more preferable as far as ASR is concerned. In addition, it was confirmed that the model adaptation algorithm can make an ASR system more robust inside spacesuits. An arithmetic complexity model for ASR was developed. It can direct the decision as to whether a specified speech interface is sufficiently efficient to be possibly implemented with a wearable system. Phase II will analyze and minimize the scientific and engineering uncertainties identified during Phase I. Furthermore, a voice command interface for future generations of a suit's processing system is proposed to be developed on DSP chips. The system should be ready for testing and use by NASA suited crewmembers at the end of Phase II.

Acoustic survey is now performed using hand-held devices once every two months on the international space station (ISS). It takes quite a lot of precious crew time and the sporadic monitoring program is not adequate.This Phase I proposal is concerned with developing an automated sound level and noise exposure monitoring system running on a ZigBee-compliant wireless sensor network. In the proposed research, we will focus ona preliminary design of the monitoring terminal that integrates the functionalities of microphone, data sampling, and signal processing along with data communication through a ZigBee wireless channel. Sufficient compliance of the developed sound level meter and noise dosimeter with the related ANSI standards will be tested and demonstrated. Thisplan takes advantage of our broad knowledge in acoustic signal processing and ZigBee wireless sensor network, and will benefit from our experienceand skills with the development of embedded digital signal processing systems using either FPGA (field programmable gate array) or DSP (digital signal processor). The Phase I effort will provide a foundation for prototype design to be conducted in Phase II.

The International Space Station (ISS) needs to keep quiet tomaintain a healthy and habitable environment in which crewmemberscan perform long-term and uninterrupted scientific researchunder microgravity conditions. Acoustic survey is now performedonce every two months using hand-held devices at 60 locationson the ISS. It takes a significant amount of precious crew timeand the sporadic monitoring program is not adequate. NASA hasdefined a need for an automated, continuous acoustic monitoringsystem that is efficient in power consumption (long battery life),accurate, highly integrated, wireless connected, scalable,small and lightweight. WeVoice Inc.\ proposed to develop aZigBee-based wireless sensor network for acoustic monitoringto meet the challenges. During Phase I of this projects, threeessential capabilities were developed, tested, and validated:* The design of a data collection subsystem that integratesmeasurement microphones and the feasibility of using thestate-of-the-art MEMS microphones.* The development of accurate and computationally efficientsignal processing algorithms for acoustic frequency(octave, 1/3-octave, and narrowband) analysis and soundlevel measurement.* The construction of a ZigBee network for data communication.In addition, the WeVoice SBIR research team has started workingon flight-like devices. Clear directions for improvement wereestablished for the Phase II efforts that may follow. The Phase IIprogram focuses on system integration and optimization,software implementation, and graphical user interface development.An in-situ calibration plan will be suggested and a demonstrablesystem will be delivered to NASA for testing in a ground facilityat the completion of the Phase II contract. So the expected TRLthen is expected to reach 6.